MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY – The Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) has joined the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) in voicing concerns with new provincial legislation regarding local elections.
Al Kemmere, president of the RMA and a Mountain View County councillor, says the association has a number of worries with the Local Authorities Election Amendment Act (LAEA) 2020.
Under the legislation, several changes to the election process are being made, including related to campaign contribution limits, third-party advertising, and nomination periods.
The RMA represents 69 rural municipalities, including Mountain View and Red Deer counties.
The AUMA represents urban municipalities, including towns in this region.
The AUMA said in a media release that the province has rejected two recommendations made by the association regarding LAEA, changes that are needed to “safeguard fair and democratic local elections.”
Those suggested changes were to “keep big money from manipulating local election by setting contribution limits that are achievable and realistic for grassroots supporters” and “allow municipalities to continue setting bylaws for candidates to disclose their full donor list and the amounts contributed before the municipal election date in 2021.”
The association also says the government has deferred a decision on a third suggested change to “make third-party advertising accountable by outlining clear declarations of contributors and by limiting the contribution amounts.”
AUMA officials said that, “Without these changes, there is now the strong potential to introduce big money and partisan politics to influence the upcoming 2021 municipal elections.
“This decision (to rejected suggested changes) demonstrates a lack of respect for the role of municipal councils, our democratic mandate and Alberta’s voters, resulting in the potential for profound negative consequences for democracy in Alberta’s communities.”
The RMA shares the same unease with the new legislation, says Kemmere.
“I think we have very similar concerns,” said Kemmere. “We have articulated very similar concerns that the AUMA has to the government. The minister’s communications back did not acknowledge any of our concerns at all.”
The RMA has a number of specific concerns, he said.
“We are concerned with the funding model that allows for significant donations by individuals to municipal campaigns,” he said.
“Our major concern is as much as possible to not have a process in place that encourages partisan politics in local government. We want to keep party politics out of municipal government.
“We believe every municipality should be empowered to have a bylaw that could force donation disclosure prior to election day.”
Municipal Affairs spokesperson Timothy Gerwing provided the following statement to the Albertan on Aug. 4: "Bill 29 wasn’t passed to satisfy any one interest group. This non-partisan legislation was brought forward to increase voter participation and create a level playing field where newcomers have a chance to challenge and defeat incumbents, ensuring the best candidates for the job are running and winning in our local elections."
